


Heritage

by alafaye



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Advent, Gen, M/M, Traditions, heritage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-08
Updated: 2011-12-08
Packaged: 2017-10-27 01:51:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/290357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Malfoy family has a Yule tradition that Draco invites Harry to watch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heritage

**Author's Note:**

> Written for day seven of the advent challenge at the livejournal community, advent challenge; prompt "heritage". Also written for day seven of the advent challenge at the livejournal community hd-seasons; prompt: traditions.

Harry frowned when Draco stirred next to him. He sleepily reached for his lover. "Come back to bed."

"Can't," Draco said. "Things to do."

"What can you have to do days before Christmas?" Harry asked. "We've done the shopping--gifts and food. Santa hasn't come yet."

Draco chuckled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"No presents to unwrap," Harry said. He stretched and watched Draco get dressed in warm clothes. "Where are you going?"

"Out," Draco said. He bent and gave Harry a kiss. "If you behave, I'll let you see. Later."

Harry grumbled and waved his hand. "Fine, go and do whatever it is you've got to. I'll be here, waiting in the cold."

Draco laughed again and Harry watched him go before falling back to sleep.

~~~

Draco didn't return until an hour before sunset. Harry had taken the time to finish wrapping the last of Draco's gifts and then caught up on his reading (always impossible as Draco found him irristable when he was reading). He was in the kitchen, deciding what to make for dinner.

"Hey, ready?" Draco asked. His cheeks were tinted pink and he looked a little frosted over.

"For what?" Harry asked. "Oh, right. That thing you were doing today. You sure it's okay for me to see?"

"Yeah," Draco said. "Perfectly fine. I'll think you'll find it interesting."

Harry shrugged and pulled on his outerwear. Draco pulled him to the alley that served as their Apparation point and transported them both. Harry looked around when they were there. "Wiltshire?"

Draco nodded. "Home. It's Yule and we have a heritage we do. A kind of tradition." He took Harry's hand and began walking into the forest.

"What kind?" Harry asked. He suspected it was something new age--or old age, depending on how one looked at it--that the Malfoys had done for centuries.

"The very oldest," Draco said with a wink as though he'd known what Harry had been thinking. "Yule is the day that the Earth turns back toward the sun, for us on this side of the globe at least. The days before this have been shorter, colder, darker. Yule represents the rebirth of light, the return of the sun. The days get longer from here and though we have a few months of cold left, we get warmer because the sun is returning.

"Many of the old families and some Muggles celebrate this with light festivals. The Malfoys have always done it on their own land with a bonfire."

They cleared some trees that were guarding a clearing. There was a small pond in it--iced over, but not solid. On the edge of it, there was a pile of wood that looked--somehow--dry. "So this is what you were doing today."

"Getting ready to celebrate," Draco said. He looked up at the sky. "Sun is almost gone--we have to hurry."

"Why take so long to gather the wood if you need to do it before sunset?" Harry asked. He watched Draco kindle the wood which quickly turned into a roaring fire.

"There's only me, Harry," Draco said. "We have to gather the wood by hand--it's better that way. And as I'm the only Malfoy left, I can only go so fast."

Harry pulled Draco to him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Draco said. "Choices were made, things happen."

Harry rested his chin on Draco's shoulder and watched the fire burn. A breeze picked up and across the water he thought he could see a group of fairies. There certainly looked like there was a mushroom ring on the other side of the pond. "So the tradition dies with you."

"If I choose to let it," Draco said. "If we ever adopt a child, I could...no, never mind."

"No, what?" Harry asked.

"It's a blood rite," Draco said. "Completely safe for everyone. No one ever gets hurt. The Ministry banned it because it involves blood. If we adopted a child, I could do the rite and the child would become a Malfoy."

Harry thought that over. "It wouldn't hurt the child?"

"No."

"Then...maybe...someday."

Draco froze in Harry's arms. "You mean it?"

"Of course I do."

Draco turned in Harry's arms. "Promise me--any promise made today is binding. Promise me if we ever do adopt a child, you'll let me do the rite."

Harry kissed him. "I promise that if you, Draco Malfoy, and I, Harry Potter, ever adopt a child, we shall do the rite so the child will be a Malfoy by blood."

Draco squeezed Harry's arms. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He nodded at the bonfire. "So do we just watch it or is there something we have to chant?"

Draco smiled. "There's a chant. I'll do it on my own, but I can teach you for next year."

"I'll be happy to learn."

Draco kissed him this time. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

"Just lucky, I suppose."


End file.
